Candidate for Positions in Ward 20

Erik P. DeBenedictis for ward 20 elections on January 18, 2025

Copy of initial email to ward 20 mailing list

Erik DeBenedictis’ Letter to Ward 20 Members

I live in ward 20 and I am a candidate for ward 20 chair and vice chair positions.

I have been active in the Republican party for over two years. My political activities include:

• Participating in the formation of the EIN-NM election integrity nonprofit and monitoring elections for RPBC as a poll challenger

• Self-initiating several projects, see the details page for more information

• Helping Ant Thornton and Tracy Major in their races for state Senator and Representative

Summary of My Plan for Ward 20

Top points below, more details on this page: https://erik.debenedictis.org/rpbc

1. Capitalize on the party’s national success by adjusting the ward’s positioning to coordinate better with national positions.

2. Expand membership by publicizing the updated positioning using a broader range of new tools, such as social media.

3. Work through multiple types of organizations, such as LLCs, nonprofits, PACs, etc.

4. Exploit ward 20s indigenous tech capability. See the details page for the plan showing how members can help ward 20, other wards, and the state party gain members and funding by using tech capabilities.

Additional details

Details on my Background 

I have been active in the Republican party for over two years. My political activities include:

• Participating in the formation of the EIN-NM election integrity nonprofit, which has and arm’s length association with the Republican Party

• Being a poll challenger many times

• Self-initiating several projects. For examples see https://neonormal.org/ge2024/

• Helped Ant Thornton and Tracy Major in their races for state Senator and Representative

Details on My Plan for Ward 20

1. Take decisive actions to capitalize on the party’s national success. A surprising number of Democrats are switching sides, vacating the political center enough that Republicans can claim to be the party of normal people. This is a whole-of-party idea, but I believe the ward and ward chair should support the idea through items 2-4 below.

2. Expand membership and win elections. A significant registration deficit (i.e. more registered Democrats than Republicans) thwarts ward 20 candidates. I believe ward 20 should:

• Raise registration numbers by emphasizing how Republican positions match the views of normal people

• Engage in more sophisticated outreach using social media, internet, data analysis, and other new methods

With the points above, candidates will "door knock" as before, but also use the 1-1 contact to field-test positions for social media campaigns, etc.

3. Work through multiple types of organizations. (PACs, LLCs, nonprofits, etc.)

Laws regulate political parties, giving them important duties but prohibiting certain activities. For example, political parties can raise money only through individual donations, which have yearly limits in the low-four-figures per donor. However, an individual can be a member of multiple organizations. Ward 20’s vision and agenda should include direct party activities, but the ward should leave some activities members in LLCs, PACs nonprofits, incorporated associations, etc.

New activities could follow the example set by the Election Integrity Network – New Mexico EIN-NM.org.

4. Exploit ward 20s indigenous tech capability. Ward 20 contains a disproportionate number of Republicans with tech ability, perhaps due to the ward's proximity to Sandia, Kirtland AFB, and DOE. The tech ability should support the ward and ward candidates directly. However, I believe the ward would benefit by making its tech abilities available to other wards and the party statewide. Outreach benefits include:

• Putting activities from ward 20 into the public eye, increasing the ward’s reputation and public image

• Influencing young people to join the party, in ward 20 and elsewhere

• Bring funding to ward 20 and its candidates

Examples of ward 20 tech outreach: 

1. Ward 20 currently has strong involvement in the EIN-NM election integrity effort, yet that organization includes members across New Mexico and has links to a national organization.

2. A potential RPBC data effort would provide New Mexico-specific data analysis. Ward 20 would share the data analysis across the state. (Details on data effort available offline.)

I have been trying to “sell” the party on the benefits of adopting new approaches and technology. I have had some success, but a ward chair would have more access and influence.

Note about chair vs. vice chair

I have self-nominated for both chair and vice chair. I do not intend to occupy both. Neither the incumbent chair nor vice chair stated their intent to run at the recent ward meeting, so I self-nominated to two positions without knowledge that anybody else was interested.

Erik DeBenedictis, January 16, 2025